


Autumn to Spring

by StellarBlitz



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Abandonment, Angst, Bears, Elf, F/M, Human, Hunters & Hunting, Hunting, Hurt/Comfort, Immortals, Implied Sexual Content, Mild Blood, Mild Gore, Sad Ending, Size Difference, Strangers to Lovers, Survival, Time Skips, Were-Creatures, Wilderness, both the animal and the man haha, bunny - Freeform, hibernation, hunger, non-sexual weight gain, rabbit - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:28:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26257909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellarBlitz/pseuds/StellarBlitz
Summary: An old werebear, banished to the woods for his ceaseless hunger, encounters a surprising new face as he prepares for hibernation. To his surprise, she aids him in preparing for the Big Sleep, and the old bear soon grows fond of her.Unfortunately, happiness for an insatiable man never lasts...This story serves as a cursory backstory for Orion, a D&D character of mine. Werebear Barbarian, always hungry, you know the drill.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Orion/Ilia
Kudos: 2





	Autumn to Spring

Orion woke from his quick doze to the snap of a hunting trap.

He immediately sat to attention, readying his axe and dagger and venturing out into the woods.

He was starving… It was autumn, so he knew winter was coming just over the horizon, but he’d barely made any progress in his fat stores. He was praying to whatever god would listen that what the trap caught was big.

He crept through the forest as quietly as his large frame would allow, his bare feet worn by decades of trekking. As much as he wished that his prey would make things easier for him, he knew it might put up a fight or try to run if it spotted him. 

However, what was caught up in his net trap was… unusual: A snow-white rabbit, quivering in fear at his approach. 

He huffed; this wouldn’t be enough to last him a few hours, let alone a day. He neared the trap, the rabbit visibly shaking and scooting away as best as it could. He reached up his hand towards the net-

“STOP!!”

A shrill voice met his ears. The rabbit just… talked? He dropped his hand and stepped back a bit. 

“P-please, don’t…” it whimpered, creeping away.

“... another wildblood?” he mumbled.

The rabbit balked. “What?”

“I… sorry, let me get you out...” Orion, his mind racing, paused and loosened the net, allowing the rabbit to leap out unharmed. It began to flee, but paused. 

“What did you call me?” It said, looking back. 

Orion’s skin shimmered slightly, the hair on his body growing to thick fur and his limbs growing large and imposing. His nose became a great ursine snout, and he fell to his front legs, a great grizzly bear. When the much smaller rabbit flinched, they stepped back, making more space.

“Wildblood… like me,” they growled, noticing the rabbit’s look of awe. 

“Oh my gods,” It said, a toothy smile crossing its face. “Y-yes! Yes, I’m wildblood.”  
They simply nodded, returning to their human form. “I, uh… sorry. For the trap. Didn’t think I’d catch a person.”

The rabbit’s fur shimmered, and soon before him sat a lithe elf woman, with pure white hair and a slight scar across her face. “I’ve endured… worse.”

Orion’s stomach growled ferociously. 

“Ugh, gods…”

The elf glanced up. “Do you need food? I have rations-“

“Ain’t gonna cut it,” he interrupted. “Sorry, but… I’ve gotta eat a lot more than normal folks. Especially with the Winter Sleep coming up…”

Her face fell. “Ah…”

“I’m glad you spoke, though. I would’ve felt terrible if-”

Before he could finish, he heard another trap went off. Orion snapped to attention, his gaze darting further into the forest as he licked his chops. 

“You don’t have any friends with you, do ya?” He asked. 

“No… be careful, though,” she warned. 

“I’ve learned to be,” he replied as he stood, flashing his three-fingered hand before trudging further through the woods. 

…

A great stag, old and big, greeted him in his second trap, and without the scent of human soul to boot. Quickly offing it and resetting the trap, Orion hoisted the creature across his shoulders and went back the way he came. This would do for a good half a day or so, he thought. 

He didn’t see the other woman at first… but could hear disturbances around his cave in the distance. He quickened his pace, hoping that a truly wild animal wasn’t disturbing his home. As he got closer, he saw that it was the woman again… perhaps she noticed which way he came.

The elf noticed him emerge from the woods and paused, untangling her leg from a nearby shrub. Looks like she hadn’t been going through his things, which was a relief, but…

“Wasn’t expecting you to stick around,” he called out once he was in her line of sight. He threw the stag to the ground, making her flinch. 

“I… I didn’t know this was your home, I’m sorry…”

“No, it’s… It’s a shelter, not really my home…” he dragged the carcass further into the cave, taking a seat and removing a knife from his belt. 

“Can I sit?” She asked, hands clasped politely. He looked up and paused. 

“Sure, whatever,” he muttered, before scoring the beast’s hide. 

“What’s your name?” She asked. He looked up again. 

“Uh…” he nearly forgot it, it’d been so long since he talked to someone. “Orion.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Ilia,” the woman responded. “I’ve been traveling for a few months now, and just crossed the border a week ago.”

“Hm.” He wasn’t in the mood for conversation, but her voice was pleasant and didn’t bother him. 

“Uh, so umm…” she paused, searching for words. “That… Winter Sleep you mentioned…”

“What is it?” He finished as he sliced away a leg. She flinched a bit. 

“Y-yeah.”

“I have to, uh, hibernate… I think that’s the right word.”

Her eyes glinted in fascination. “Really? That’s fascinating!”

“It’s a pain in the ass,” he muttered. 

“Oh, I’m sure, but…” she fished a notebook out of her satchel. “I’ve only met a few other shifters, but none of them had that deep of a connection to their animal side… it’s marvelous.”

His eyebrows rose slightly. “Huh. Guess that makes me even more of a freak, huh?”

Ilia scoffed. “No! It makes you unique. The only thing I have going for me is getting indigestion from meat, so…”

“Guess I don’t have to share this, then?”

She smiled. “All yours.”

There was a lull in the conversation. She simply watched him butcher the stag for a while, seemingly unbothered by the mess it made. He was surprised she wasn’t squeamish about such things, but maybe she was just being polite.

“Where’re you going next?” He asked, finishing separating the last leg. 

“I’m not sure,” she mused. “I think I’d like to go to one of the port cities before I have to return home for winter.”

“Huh,” he grunted. 

“How about you? Do you wish to go somewhere?”

He paused for a moment, wiping blood off his hands and furrowing his brow. He didn’t know if he trusted himself enough to stray too far, especially when it came to cities. Plus, he didn’t have any gold to his name, and winter was on the horizon…

“Don’t think so,” he replied. “Main thing on my mind is eating and sleeping.”

“That’s fair,” she said as she stretched her arms a bit. “How much do you usually eat?”

“Lots,” he answered quickly. “I’ve got a dozen or so traps set up. I’ve got a huge appetite even outside of autumn, but now I’m constantly starving.”

“Hmm… such rapid weight gain and loss repeatedly over years, or… or decades… that must put quite the strain on your body…” she mused, scribbling in her notebook. 

“I manage.” He took one of the legs and tore off a hunk with his teeth, swallowing it quickly. Ilia looked up in awe. 

“Wait, you… you eat it raw?”

“Don’t have the patience to cook.”

She said nothing and simply scribbled more in her notebook. He scowled. 

“Why’re you takin’ notes?”

She paused. “I, er… I take notes on all sorts of things. Don’t worry.”

His eyes narrowed. “I just… don’t like people gawkin’ at me.”

She cringed. “T-totally fair… I understand… sorry.” She set down her notebook and quill. “I got so excited that… I forgot that I’ve had people gawk at me too.”

“Why? Your form isn’t dangerous.”

“It’s still an anomaly… people don’t like people like us, you know?”

He looked across his scarred body, from all the attacks he’s received over the decades. “A bunny can’t hurt nobody… but a bear can.”

“People still want to eliminate what they don’t understand,” she replied. “And even if they don’t… they’ll remind you that you’re different every single day.”

He huffed. “That’s why I don’t live around people.”

She cocked her head. “That doesn’t seem very healthy.”

“You just said they hurt you.”

“Many of them, yes, but… not all. I’ve been able to make friends who understand me and love me.”

“So why’re you traveling? Why aren’t you with them?”

“Because…” she paused. “Because I want to make more friends.”

He nodded, considering her points. The last time he tried to make friends was as a child… gods, 80 or so years ago now. And then his bear powers kicked in, and nobody wanted anything to do with him. 

“Do you… do you need a friend, Mr. Orion?” She said quietly. 

He looked back at her. “That a question or an offer?”

“B...both.”

“If you’re leaving soon, I don’t see the point,” he muttered after polishing off a bone.

“W-well… I don’t need to leave… not immediately… and I could help you find food!”

“Food you can’t eat?”

“Well, I… I also just… wanna get to know you,” she replied quietly.

He paused, considering. 

“Well, you should know that, uh… I ain’t always this chipper. And over the comin’ months, I’m gonna get fatter, and grosser, and probably a lot meaner… but, uh… I guess I could always use some help.”

“I’m sure you aren’t nearly as bad as you think you are, Orion,” Ilia replied. “After all, you’ve been such a great listener to all my ramblings… I’ve been told I talk a lot.”

“You do,” he said before taking another bite, then paused and looked up at her. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she laughed. She then stood up, dusting off her pants a bit. “You said you had several different traps set up across the forest, yes?”

His mouth was full, so he simply grunted in response before wiping off his face. “I’ve also got fishing nets down by the creek, and I’ve been grabbin’ berries and such where I can.”

“Do you want me to check on the nets?”

He sat for a moment and considered. “Let’s go together,” he replied, standing with a grunt. “Might be too full for you to get on your own.”

“I uh… I have magic,” she replied. “I can probably handle it. The only reason I didn’t use it in the trap was that it requires complex hand gestures.”

“Hmm. Alright,” he said, sitting down again with a great thud. “Lemme know if you need help, and, uh… thanks.”

She simply smiled and started toward the river.

…

The days Ilia spent with Orion turned to weeks, and soon to months… The air grew colder and colder with each passing week, and she could see him grow larger and more lethargic with each day. However, rather than become more ornery as he expected, he found himself growing fond of the elf… more fond of her than he’d ever been for another person before.

Perhaps it was the sheer amount of work they did together… or perhaps it was the nights they spent together huddled for warmth around a small fire (often extinguished by the cold winds)… Or perhaps it was something else. He didn’t know, but it didn’t really matter.  
He woke up that morning, innately aware that his sleep would start soon. He and Ilia had prepared a den of sorts the week previously, and it seemed she had already left to check for the traps. He didn’t have anything else to do, for once… it was a strange feeling, but a comforting one.

He looked down at himself… He always hated how large he got around this time of year… but try as he might, he knew that skipping hibernation was bad for him. He sat up, grunting at the extra effort it took, and stood, arching his back as he stretched.

He could hear Ilia returning. She always hummed this quiet Elvish hymn as she strode through the woods… It was soothing. Sometimes she would sing it as he fell asleep.

He lumbered out to meet her, seeing her pulling a good-sized doe behind her. She herself had put on considerable muscle from assisting him, and their occasional sparring matches probably helped, too. She actually won the last few times, though he wasn’t sure if that was because she was getting stronger than him or because he was getting so fat.

“Hope this will do for now,” she said as she pulled it closer. “None of the other traps were sprung, so…” 

“I think it’ll be fine for the day,” he said, coming over to help her. Once it was inside, she crossed her arms and looked up at him.

“Who are you and what happened to Orion? You’re usually much hungrier in the mornings,” she said with a wry smile.

“No, I…” he sat on the ground with a great thud. “I think It’s almost time.”

Her face fell slightly. “Oh… so soon?”

He huffed. “Maybe. I dunno. It tends to hit…” he yawned. “...when I least expect it… but I’m about the same size as I’ve been in the past… maybe a bit bigger, actually, with your help.”

She sat beside him, leaning against him. “Do you think you can make it until tonight?”

He looked at her quizzically. “I mean… probably, but why?”

She simply smiled. “I wish to do something… special.”

He could feel a blush cross his cheeks. He had a feeling he knew what she meant, but…

“Y-you sure about this?” he muttered.

“If you want to,” she replied. “I think it would be a good way to end the season, hm?”

His blush only intensified. “I-I do… I’ve wanted to for weeks now… but I dunno how well I can, in the state I’m in now…”

“Just do your best,” She responded quietly. “Are you hungry?”

He scooted over to the deer with a grunt, readying his knife. “Right, ah… I am.”

…

He’d never felt more loved and treasured before that night.

They kept it simple… He liked simple. She kept asking if he wanted more and more, but reassured her that simply being with her was enough. She appreciated and loved him and cared for him, even at his lowest like this… It was wonderful.

When they finished, though, he was utterly exhausted. He used all the strength he had to trudge quietly out to his den, eyes blurred and hampered by the night.

He just barely stopped himself from collapsing into the den, huddling into it. The warm brush and furs lining the den enveloped him in a familiar security.

His senses began to dull… He knew that was one of the first signs it was beginning. But just before he lost them all…

He felt the gentlest kiss on his cheek.

He wished he had the energy to open his eyes, or say “thanks” or “I love you”, but his body refused. 

“I love you,” she whispered, seemingly reading his mind. 

His senses finally faded as he heard her quietly walking away, humming that same Elvish hymn.

...

Orion’s eyes fluttered open slowly, but surely… His senses were starting to return to him, as evident by the calling birds he could hear and the ache in his back.

He slowly, steadily stretched… he could feel how gaunt he was, which was a good thing in his eyes, since he disliked how much being obese slowed him down. He always had a bit of a gut, which generally didn’t inhibit him, but at a certain point, he found the girth would keep him from moving as fast as he wanted to. 

With blurred eyes he peered out of his den, squinting even more at the bright sky. He heaved himself out, stretching all his limbs for the first time in months… It felt nice to pop all those stiff joints. He looked down at his feet, where he saw some remnants of snow… It seemed he woke up early.

His cave was relatively untouched, save for some items becoming damp with dew and the breeze blowing leaves and petals across the floor. He slowly lumbered over, taking stock of what he had, which… wasn’t much to begin with.

Coming out of hibernation was, ironically, the one time where he wasn’t super hungry. He had some preserved meats in a jar that he grabbed and chewed on for a bit, eyes still bleary as he laid on his woven mat. His taste buds were still waking up, so it all tasted like mush.

He wondered… if he could tempt fate. He stood and peered out of his cave.

“Ilia?” he called further into the woods. He stepped out a bit further and called again. Both times, the only response was the singing birds.

His face fell… what was he thinking? Of course, she left… She had better things to do than sit with a homeless bear-man in the middle of the woods for the rest of her life. She had friends, family, actual people she loved back home… 

His shoulders fell, and soon he found himself on his knees, either from exhaustion or loneliness. Maybe if he fell asleep again she’d come back…

…

Orion’s bolt sunk into the stag with a mighty thwack.

It had been over two decades since he found Ilia. Or, perhaps, since she found him… They found each other. It’d been two decades since she left him, too. He had 5 new big scars on his body since he met her, plus many smaller ones… He himself hadn’t aged much outwardly, but as far as he knew, that was normal for wildbloods. On the inside, he’d grown jaded, more so than before. 

It’d been a few weeks after his last sleep, and his hunger was starting to return. He trudged towards his kill and pulled the bolt out of its neck, admiring his shot for a moment before pulling it back to his cave. He was back on his old routine of fending for himself, but seeing as how Ilia never returned to help him before, he was fine without the help.

He hadn’t thought about her for ages, generally on purpose… Either she forgot about him, secretly hated him, someone stopped her from finding him again, or she died… none of the options were ones he liked to mull over, so he tried to push them out of his mind.

He had at one point attempted to find her hometown, which she’d told him about in passing during her stay, but she was nowhere to be found there, either. Perhaps she truly was dead… Or she was purposely fleeing from his sight… Turning into a rabbit made that easier, he presumed.

He sat down and quietly started butchering the stag, not noticing he was humming that same hymn she always sang...

**Author's Note:**

> No, this isn't MotE content, but I wanna try sharing other fics I've made here as well. I can, so I will.


End file.
